Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Livermore, CA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,139 a month against $3,579 in Livermore, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

172

Cost of Living Index in Livermore, CA
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Livermore, CA Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Livermore, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,579

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Livermore, CA and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Livermore, CA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,579 per month in Livermore, CA vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Livermore, CA $3,579
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $5,837 per month in Livermore, CA vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Livermore, CA $5,837
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $8,095 per month in Livermore, CA vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Livermore, CA $8,095
Chicago, IL $6,115

Livermore, CA costs about 14% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Livermore, CA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Livermore, CA by 164%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.15 $22.15

$20.65 $20.65

7.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 $70.8

$90.2 $90.2

-21.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 $10.57

$12.94 $12.94

-18.32%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$5.60 $5.60

5.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.64 $2.64

-25.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.27 $2.27

34.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$6.98 $6.98

-14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 $7.53

$8.83 $8.83

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.27 $1.27

54.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.80 $3.80

14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$5.30 $5.30

10.19%

Eggs

$6.31 $6.31

$4.76 $4.76

32.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.79 $26.79

$13.96 $13.96

91.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.36 $16.36

$14.61 $14.61

11.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.93 $21.93

$18.77 $18.77

16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$6.89 $6.89

$5.19 $5.19

32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.98 $1.98

14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$3.93 $3.93

59.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.34 $10.34

$4.96 $4.96

108.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.76 $2.76

36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.76 $2.76

69.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.22 $2.22

12.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.98 $2.98

4.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 $11.92

$14.02 $14.02

-14.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 $13.04

$15.28 $15.28

-14.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.58 $2.58

-18.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.50 $3.50

-17.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.47 $2.47

-17.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$74.8 $74.8

-20.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.34 $3.34

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.43 $1.43

32.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.52 $39.52

$24.32 $24.32

62.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.26 $1.26

15.08%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.22%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.67%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$180 $180

$193 $193

-6.34%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$68.3 $68.3

-9.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 $75.3

$61.3 $61.3

22.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.49 $40.49

$54.1 $54.1

-25.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$17.74 $17.74

-22.55%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,506 $2,506

$1,652 $1,652

51.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K $35.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

13.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.12 $49.12

$66.1 $66.1

-25.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.80 $38.80

$51.2 $51.2

-24.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 $63.8

$100 $100

-36.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$233 $233

$141 $141

65.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 $2,427

$2,446 $2,446

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,019 $2,019

$1,678 $1,678

20.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,721 $5,721

$4,717 $4,717

21.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,631 $4,631

$2,795 $2,795

65.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,977 $6,977

$4,866 $4,866

43.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.81

-7.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Livermore, CA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Livermore, CA

$2K 56.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 16.9% $342

Groceries & Markets

Livermore, CA

$575 16.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 21.8% $126

Eating Out

Livermore, CA

$345 9.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 0.4% $1.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Livermore, CA

$318 8.9%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 1.5% $4.6

Clothing & Footwear

Livermore, CA

$173 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 7% $12

Getting Around

Livermore, CA

$81 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 18% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Livermore, CA

$68 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 31.8% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,427 in Livermore, CA versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Livermore, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Livermore, CA versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $575 in Livermore, CA vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Livermore, CA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

05:50 5:50 AM

2 h ahead of Livermore, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

86,803

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Livermore, CA Chicago, IL 2,940 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Livermore, CA
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Livermore, CA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,579 in Livermore, CA, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 14% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,368 per month in Livermore, CA and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Livermore, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Livermore, CA and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,579 in Livermore, CA and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,139 in Chicago, IL to $3,579 in Livermore, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Livermore, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.